Electrical conductor terminal connector



H. B. SHERMAN.

ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR TERMINAL CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION-FILED JULYB. 1920.

1,487,687, Patented Dec. 5, 1922.

. u @traumas .struction ot the terminal Fetentcd Het. ti, lt?.

HOWARD IB. SHERMAN, OF BATTLE CREEK, lvIItlI-KIGAF.y

`ELECTRCAL CONDUCTOR TERMNAL CONNECTOR.

Application filed July S, 1920. Serial. No. $4,660.

lie it known that l, llowaun B. timiniuAn, a citizen ot the linitedStates; residing at Battle (`rcek, in the county olI (falhoun and Stateoil hilichigan. have invented certain new and usel'ul Improvements inElectrical Conductor 'l`erminal Connectors; and l hereby declare thatthe following is a lull, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing; had to the accoinpanyin drawings, which form partot` thisspecification.

rlhis invention is a. novel electrical terminal connector for sparkplugs. lts objects are, to provide a `very simple connector, which canbe handled without danger of shock; that can be quickly applied to theplug, and readily removed therefrom; that will enable the operator toreadily test the spark before connecting the plug; which will have nodelicate or soldered parts lia ble to break or become unreliable; andwhich when applied will make excellent electrical contact: and will notbe easily dislodged by jarring.

rl`he invention consists in the noi'el conconneetor one practicalembodiment ol which is shown in the 'accompanying drawings andhereinafter described; the features and combina tions of parts for'which' protection is desired are set forth in the claims.

ln said drawings:

Fig. l. is a side View of the terminal connector engaged with a sparkplug.

Fig.` 2 isa top view of Fig'. 1.

Fig.y 3 is an enlarged vertical section showing the interiorconstruction of the connector.

The terminal connector as shown consists practically of but threepieces, to wit-aI sleeve` preferably made of' hard rubber, bakelite, orlike, good electrical insulatingr substance;a helical spring' contactmember; and a screw. which fastens the conductor to the sleeve and alsosecures the contact spring in position in the sleeve, and alsoestablishes a good electrical contact between the contact spring and theconductor.

The sleeve 1 has a socket l in one end for the reception ol the end ofan ordinary electrical conductor` (l, which is usually rovided with aninsulating cover c. Within the other end ol the sleeve is a bore lb inwhich is placed the spring ContactI member 2; the socket l and bore lbare separated by a partition l through which is an aperture ld, in whichthe bared end c ot' the conductor (l is inserted; and in which also theshank or e.\tension`2'1 of the Sprinv contact member 2 is inserted. Thebared end c ot' the conductor, and the shank 2 of the contact memberpractically overlap and both are confined in this aperture 1d and causedto closely contact each other by means of the screw il, which is tappedtlirougha threaded radial opening le in the sleeve l, as shown.

The sleeve l is also provided -with a transverse opening lf in its endopposite the conductor, which opening diametrically transfiXes-the bore1".` The opening lf lis for the reception of and engagement with thethreaded terminal ot' amelcctrical device, such as an ordinary sparkplug l), which may be of any suitable construction.

rl`he spring contact and locking member 2 is shown as formed of ahelical expansion spring, and has its inner end straightened to fornithe shank2; and its outer end is bent into a ring 2, which ispreieiablyairranged perlundicular to the Va.\:is of the coil, or atrig-ht angles to the spirals ot the coil, as indicated in Fig'. il; andsaid spring is preferably secured in the sleeve so that the outer partof ring 2 will lie in the plane oi' the. asis oi the opening Vlf andwill also partially project into 'the said opening. and partiallyobstruct the saine, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, so that whenthe opening lf of the terminal connector is slipped over the terminal Sof the spark plug the part'of the terminal S in the connector willcontact with the ring :2b and push the same .inward compressing'thespring, and the ring 2b of the spring engaging the threads-of theterminal i will lock the terminal connector thereon and.

effectively prevent casual disengagement vot the termi/nal connectorfrom the spark plug.

The simplicity of the device will be obvious on inspection of thedrawings. The

parts can be readily assembled. When f screw 3 binds the bared end ofthe cable c and the shank 2a of the spring contact member 2 in positionin the sleeve it ensures an excellent positive electrical contacttherebetween.

The terminal connector can be readily applied to the terminal S ot thespark plug by simply engaging the opening 1f ofthe sleeve with theterminal S, and the ring 2,"

The operator can easil)v test the circuit4 before applying the terminalconnector to lthe plug by slipping the socket end l" of the connectoronto the terminal S until the latter contacts with the ring 21 of spring2,

and observingwhether a spark is produced or not.

`What l claim is:

l. .A terminal connector comprising a sleeve having a transverse openingnear one end and an internal partition provided with an aperture toreceive the bared end of a conductor; a coiled spring member having oneend entered into the aperture in the partition, and having its other endprojecting into the said opening and adapted to engage and formelectrical. contact with the terminal of an electrical device When suchterminal is entered into the opening; and means to secure the bared endof the conductor and the end of the spring member in the aperture,substantially as described.

2. A terminal connector comprising ,asleeve having a transverse openingnear one end and an internal partition provided with an aperture toreceive the bared end of a conductor; a coiled spring member having oneend entered into the aperture in the partition, and having its outer endbent so that it lies in the plane of the axis of the transverse openingand projecting into the said opening, and adapted to engage and formelectrical contact with the terminal of an electrical device, when suchterminal is entered into the transverse opening; and a Screw tappedthrough the sleeve and engaging the bared end of the conductor and theend of the spring member in the aperture in the partition to secure themin the sleeve.

S. A terminal connector comprising a sleeve having an internal partitionand sockets on opposite sides thereof7 said partition having an aperture'for the reception .of the ba'red end of a conductor inserted in onesocket, and Jfor the shank of a spring contact member inserted in theother socket; Said sleeve also having a transverse opening in the endcontaining the spring member; a spring member .having one end enteredinto the aperture in the partition` and its outer end projecting intothe said opening` and adapted to engage and t'orm electrical contactwith the terminal of an electrical device when such terminal is enteredinto the transverse opening; and means engaging the bared end oi theconductonand the end of the spring member in the aperture and retainingthem in the sleeve.

4. A. connector for the purpose specified comprising a Sleeve having aninternal partition and sockets on opposite sides thereof, said partitionhaving an aperture ior the reception of the bared end of a conductorinserted in one socket`r and for the shank of a spring Contact memberinserted in the other socket; said sleeve also having a transverseopening in the end containing the spring member; a coiled spring memberhaving one end Aentered into the aperture in the partition. and havingits outer end bent so that it lies in the plane of the axis of thetransverse opening and projecting into the said opening` and adapted toengage and form electrical contact with the terminal of an electricaldevice when such terminal is entered into the transverse opening, and ascrew tapped through the sleeve and engaging the bared 'end of theconductor andV the end of the spring member in the aperture.substantially as described. i

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own.y I afiix mvsignature.

Hovvaen B. SHERMAN.

